Shell-filling machine.



7 PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

H. M. PIERCE.

SHELL FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7110 MODJL.

W1 TNESS No. 760,244. PATBNTED MAY 17, 1904.

H. M. PIERCE. SHELL FILLING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 9, 1903. H0 MODEL. 6 SHEETSBHEET 3.

No. 760,244- PATENTED MAY 17, 1904.

' H. M. PIERCE.

SHELL FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION II LBD MAY 9, 1903.

E0 MODEL. 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- PATENTED MAY 17, 1904:.

H. M. PIERCE.

SHELL FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

.KO MODEL.

[NVE/VTOR, ihrlyfii Pierce Nrrnn drains Patented may 17, 190%.

Fart-slur @rricn.

SHELL=FlLLlNG lillAGHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 760,244, dated may 17, 1904.

Application filed May 9, 1903. Serial No. 156,472. (Filo model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY M. PIERCE, acitizen of the United States, .residing at Wilmington, in the county of Newcastle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shell-Filling Machines; and i do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved machine for filling shells and similar vessels with dynamite or other explosive material in the'form of powder.

Another object of the invention is to provide ashell-filling machine operated by compressed air which will automatically stop working when the shell becomes filled or if a foreign substance gets into the path of the powder being fed.

A further object of the invention is to providea machine for filling a plurality of shells with dynamite and operated by compressed air, in which each of the filling meanswill augri'fngtically cease operation as the shells are Another object of the invention is to provide, in connection with ashell-filling machine operated lay-compressed air, a pressure device that will serve to remove the shell from its filling position on the machine and which will also when the shell has been removed and an empty shell inserted return the shell-holder to the position for filling.

My machine is so constructed that any grade of powder may be packed, even dynamite containing from fifty to seventy-five per cent. nitroglycerin, which up to. the present time has never been successfully packed by previ ous machines other than by hand, such previous machines successfully packing, at most, only powder containing not over fifty per cent. of nitroglycerin. This valuable and desirable result can be accomplished by my machine by regulating the pressure or degree of hardness to which the cartridges may be packed, attained by opening or closing the regulating valves under the valve-chest, which regulates from a subbase a.

the volume or pressure of air pouring into cylinders from thevalve-chest, as more fully hereinafter appearing.

.l/Vith these objects in view and others my invention comprises the construction, arrangement, and combinations of parts, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, representing an apparatus embodying my invention in my preferred form of construction and arrangement, Figure 1 is a side elevation, certain parts being shown in section. machine. Fig. 3 is a continuation of the view of Fig. 2, showing the other hall of the machine in plan. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the valve-chest. Fig. 5 is a -horizontal section through the valve-chest.

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically a relative plan view of the shells and the corresponding tripping device in their respective relative positions. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 shows a section ofthe cut-off valve, and Fig. 9 shows the crank and connections that operate the slide-valves. I

Referring now to the drawings, in which the letters of reference indicate the same parts, A represents a suitable base, preferably of wood, that is supported bycolumns a, rising At one end of the machine are secured a series of cylinders B, preferably parallel, in each of which operates a piston b, secured to a piston-rod 6 'At this end of the machine is a valve-chest C, connecting with each of the cylinders 18 by aport 0, there being one of these ports for eachof the cylinders.

In the Valve-chest adjacent each oi the ports is an exhaust-port 0 Each of the exhaustports leads into an exhaust-pipe a, the outlet of which is controlled by an adjustable valve o in each-instance, so that the exhaust can be throttledas desired and by which the length of stroke of the piston-rods 72 may be regulatedQThusif these valves 0 are closed the reciprbcation of the piston-rods is entirely stopped. if valves are opened full wide, the piston-rods make full strokes. closing valves gradually the lrngth of stroke of the temps connected to the piston rods may be adjusted as desired. On each pipe "c Fig. 2 is a plan view of half of the Therefore by tages of nitroglycerin.

the regulatingvalves c are wide open a full Thus, for example, if

- volume ofair will pour into the ends of the cylof air has passed through the ports and the,

inders, which will permit this great pressure of air to follow the-cylinder the entirelength of the pistons stroke, and by so doing I can pack the dynamite almost hard enough to burst the shells.

air can escape through them 0? in the valve-chest are open, and'these ports are blanked by the slide-valve c* (hereinafter described.) before any large degree oramount regulating-valves, sure of air in the small and the shells arefilled very lightly.

and consequently the. pres- It is obvious that the pressure maybe. regua lated anywhere between. the two limits de-.

scribed above through the medium of the regulating-valves c, H

A supply of air isstarted in the reservoir and the pressure there any suitable means for example, an adjustable valved serves to permit air toescape when the 'pressure becomes too great-- 'A pipe (1 leads from the reservoir D intothe top of the valve-chest, while another pipe 01 leadsin'to theother end ofthe piston.

cylinder beyondthe In this'latter pipe is a suitable valve 0, to reduce the pressure onthis end of the piston,-if desired.

1 The-port leading from the valve-chest to; ofthe cylinders is controlled byan ordi-.

each nary- D slide-valve 0", which is controlled by a VfllVQ-I'Od 0 When communication withthe exhaust-port '0 and;

cut off the port a from connecting with the valve+chambeiz There will be be staggered in position, as shown in Fig. 2.

nate slide-valves. In the drawings'only three cylinders, slidevalves,

plate e from any suitable motor at a constant speed,

On the contrary, by closing theseregulating-valves conly a certain quantity of while the ports cylinders is comparatively is kept constant by may be brought to the said stems and when filled moved away .thBrefI'0m;

v the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the air may pass through.

one .of these. slide-valves for eachof the cylinders, and they valve g is. moved. to another will preferably There are preferably two.

of these valve-rods 0?, serving to operate alter v &c.', are shown; -but in practice a much larger number can-be used; For example, from fifteen to twenty can; be

to which shaft is secured a beveled gear a.

rod 'c i -Wh en the valve-rod is at one limit of its movement, the plate will be in the 'po-,

sition as shown to the left in Fig. 4, and the operation of the slide-valve 0 will be as hereinbefore described; but when c, whose path of:movement is perpendicular to that I of the valve-rod c,.-,ha's moved the 'valve-plate c to. the other limit-of its move: c will .be blanked, -as shown, to the right. in ,Fig. 4. Hence the ment the. ports 0 and valve-chest will be cut out of communication with'the-corresponding cylinder... The slide- ,valves are .reciprocated at a constant speed,' r as before stated, while the cut-ofl valves 0' ,are normally in position-with their apertures registering with the ports-in thechest; but by automatic means,- hereinafter- 'set' forth, these valve-plates c'- .ar e-moved to blank'the ports in the valve-chest.

At thelower'end tacle or. h pper F,.at thelower'part of which is aseries. of stems f of a size to snugly fit the shells it-is desired to fill.- Opposite'each of the stems is arranged a shell-case f", that" may be hinged to'receive and permit removal of the machine is a recep-.

A shaft e has a gear a, meshing with the gear a,

the. valve-rod I of tllQShBllSu Theshe'll-cases are-arranged on a slide-block f, by means of which they A cylinder G is the latter 'being connected'with theslide-block f by bracket g.- The rear end of the-cylinder-Gconnects with the reservoir D by means i I 05 secured to the base andcon} tains a -piston g attached to a piston-rod g,

IIIIO of the pipe g iD which-is acut-oifvalveg i When the Valve g is"" open;-.the pressure of the air from the reservoir will-cause1the pis ton a to move the slide-block. and remove the shell from..the pipe-stem =7"; but when this position, which valve is known as a. -three'-wayvalve, connection between the reservoir and the cylinare: then placed 1 in theshelh air on the'forward end of cylinder Gr through the pipeg will advance the sliding block and.

shell-holder to bring thenew shells onto the hold them there firmly until stems f and will they are packed.

shell to be filled.

In the hopper F operate a number of tamps, each being secured to the piston-rod or integral therewith. Each tamp enters the hopper opposite one of the stems f, engaging the Consequently when the piston in the cylinders B serve to advance the tamps the free extremity of the tamps will force the material in the hopper F into the shell and further serve to ram it tightly into the shell, according to the degree of pressure back of the cylinder. Thereupon the slide.- valve will cause the piston to move in the oppositedirection and the temp will be with-- drawn to engage another amount of powder in the hopper, which will be forced into the shell on the next forward stroke.

It will be observed that when the slide-valve puts one of the cylinders-in communication with the reservoir D the compressed air will have access to each side of the piston b; but the piston-rod Will cause a less area to be ex posed to this pressure on the lower side of this piston than on the upper side. Hence the piston will be advanced, and the tamp will force the powder into the shell; but when the upper end of the cylinder is exposed to the atmosphere by the slide-valve instead of being in communication with the reservoir the pressure from the reservoir through the pipe (Z will cause the piston and temp to return.

Now since the slide-valve is given a constant speed and, furthermore, the pressure in the reservoir D is maintained constant the return stroke ofthe piston will be practically constant in extent. 'This is graphically representedin Fig. 6.

On each of the valve-stems is arranged a trip H, that engages a trip-lever k On each of the valve-stems cis a lug 0, that is nor: mally engaged by the trip-lever It, that is pivoted to a stationary frame. This means serves to retain the valve-plate c with its ports 0 and a registering, respectively, with the ports in the bottom of the valve-chest; but as the return movement of the tamps is maintained constant when the shell becomes liiled the return of the temp willcause the tripper H to moveg-the lever b disengaging the latter from the lug c. Thereupon a spring 0 that has been under tension, will move the valve-stem 0 and thereby move the valve-plate 0 until it blanks the ports adjacent thereto, in the valve-chest. This will cause the temp to stop working, as it no longer has communication with the reservoir, although its controlling slidevalve is still reciprocated by'the constantly-moving valve-rod c This operation applies to each of the tamps. Just as soon as a shell becomes filled the cut-0E vaive will be tripped to blank the ports connected therewith in the valve-chest.

When allof the cut-ofi valves have been I tripped, the filled shells removed, and empty ones repiaced, and it is desired to move the cut-off valves to permit the machine to operate, the'valves are all returned to their normal position by a bar K, through which passes each of the valve-stems, the latter having collars k" k on eachside of the bar K. The bar K is. operated by a pair of pressure devices, each of which comprises a cylinder M, containing a piston 0/0 attached to a piston-rod m the latter piston-rods each being secured to the bar K. Air from the reservoir 1) is admitted back of the piston m through a pipe 122 controlled by the threeway valve 11th When this valve is turned to admit air, the pistons are advanced against the force of springs m and the bar K serves to move the valve-stems c until the lugs 0 each engagewith the appropriate trip-lever k whereby they are retained in this position. Thereupon the three-way valve m is turned to put the pipe m in communication with the atmosphere.- This latter movement will cause the springs m to return the pistons and bar K to their former positions; but this latter move: ment of the bar K will not aflect the valve+ stems to by reason of the play permitted by the separation of the collars k and It.

In order to prevent clogging-of the dynamite or other powder in the hopper F, I provide a suitable stirrer, such as a shaft R, having a number of pins 7" thereon, which shaft is revolved by a chain 0' that connects the spur-wheel r on the shaft R with the spurwheel 2 on the driving-shaft e Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a cylinder, a pisto and piston-rod working therein, a hopper, a shell-holder connected with said hopper, a tamp connected with the piston-rod andarranged to force material from the hopper into the shell in the shell-holder, a source of fluid: pressure, a valve-chest having communication with the source of pressure, a port in the valve-chest having communication with one end of the cylinder, means for maintaining a constant pressure on the other side of the piston, a port in the valve-chest adjacent the latter port and connecting with the atmosphere through an exhaust-pipe, means for regulating the quantity of air admitted to the cylinder from the valve-chest, an exhaust stop-valve on said exhaust-pipe for regulating thelength of stroke of the tamp, a valve-rod, a-valve on too the rod arranged to put the cylinder alternately in connection with theyalveehest and with the atmosphere, means for operating said valve-rod at a constant speed, an apertured' and means connected with the piston-rod and arranged to: operate said plate when the tamp is in a predetermined position and thereby blank the ports in the valve-chest and prevent further operation of the piston in the cylin-. der, substantially as described. I v

2. The combination of a cylinder, a piston and piston-rod Working in the cylinder, a hopper, a shell-holder connected with the hopper,

a temp connected with the piston-rod and ar--- ranged. to force material from the hopper into shells in the shell-holder, a source of pressure, a valve-chest having communication with the. source of pressure, a port in the valve-chest having communication with one end of the cylinder, means for malntaining a constant pressure on the other side of the piston, a port.

in the valve-chest adjacent said latter port and connecting with the atmosphere, a valve-rod, a valve on said rod arranged to; put the cylinde'r alternately in communication 'with' the valve-chest and with the atmosphere-means for operating said valve-rod at a constant speed, an 'apertured plate arranged between the valve and the valve-seat of the chest and having a pair of apertures arranged to regiS:

ter wit the ports in the valve-chest whenthe' I plate'is in one position,-

I, in a'predetermined v d the ports in the valve-chest and prevent fur-v ,ther operation of the piston in V said plate being arranged to blank said ports when the plate'is in a second position, a tripconneeted' with the piston-and arranged, through interposed mechanism, to operate sa'nl plate when the tamp is positionand thereby blank the cylinder, substantially as described. I

' 3. .The combination of a cylinder, a piston andpiston-rod working in the cylinder, a hopintjo shells in the constant pressure on per, a shell-holder connected with said hopper, a tamp connected with the piston-rod and arranged to force material from the hopper shell-holder, a'source of fluid.- pressure, a'valve-chest having communication valve-chest having communication with one end of; the cyllnder, means for. malntainlng a valve-chest adjacent said ton, aport in the latter port and connecting with the 'atrn-os f phere, a'jv'alve-rod, a valve ontherod art ranged to put the cylinder alternately in communication with the chestlfand with the atmosphere, means for operating said valve-rod at a constant speed an'a pertured plate arranged between said valve and the valve-seat of the chest; and having a pair of apertures arranged to register with the ports in the chest when the plate is in'one position, said l V a coiled, spr g the trip,

plate being arranged to blank said ports when the plate is in a secondposition', avalve-rod connected to the apertured plate and carrying a trip connected with the piston-rod,- a trip-lever arranged in the path of one end of such trip-lever engaging sourceofipressure', a port' in thethe other side of the pis.-

and holding the valve-rod of the apertured plate and the other end adapted to be en gaged by the trip carried by the piston-rod when the tainp is' in a'pr'edeterrnined position, thereby to release and reciprocate'the valverod of the apertured plate to blank the ports tion of the piston tially as described.

' 4. The combinationof'a cylinder, a piston and piston-rod working in thecylinder", a hopper, a shell-holder connected with said hopiper, a tam p connected with said piston-rod and in f the' cylinder, substanfluid-pressure, .a valve-chest having, c'ommu': nicationwlth the source of, pressure, aport, in

chest when the plate is in one position, said plate being arranged to blank said parts when the plate'is in a second position, means cons erate theplate when the temp isin a predetermined position and thereby blank theports in the valve-chest and prevent further operation of the piston in the cylinder, and means for returning the plate? to normal position with its apertures registering with the ports in the valve-chest,-substantially as described.

5. The combination of a'cylinder,,apiston and piston-rod working inthec'ylinder, a hoparranged. to force material from-the hopper into shellsin the shell:

fluid-pressure, a valve-chest havingfcominunication with the source of pressure, a port in the valve-chest having communication; with one end of the cylinder, means for maintaining a constant pressure on the other side of the piston, a port. in'jthe valve-chest ad acent .-the latter. port and connecting with the aton said'rod ar- .IIlOSPllGlB, a 'valve-rod,a valve ranged" to put the cylinder alternately in communication with the valve-chest and with the l atmosphere, means for operating said valveranged between the'valve' and the valve-seat of the chest and having a pair ofapertures'arranged to register with the ports in the valvevalve-fichest and with the" per, aQshell-holder connected with'said 1 per, atamp onnected With-thepiston I0d and rod at a constant speed, an apert'ured plate arin the valve-chest and prevent further operaarranged to force material from the hopper into shells in the shell-holder, a source/of the valve-chest having communication: with of the chest and having a pair of apertures a'rranged to register with the ports in thevalve nected with thepiston-rod and arranged to opholder, a source of chest when the ,plate is in one position, said plate being arranged to blank said ports when d In testimony whereof I afiix mysignature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY M. PIERCE.

Witnesses: WM. B. FOSTER,

J. HUNT HOLT; 

